Gotcha!

I took my camera to the Team Kid program at our church last night. Ironically, the message to the kids was God is everywhere. Last week we spoke about how God sees all.
Do you think Kyle is trying to catch a peak of the big guy?


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I couldn't resist - I had to comment on John McCain suggesting that Sarah Palin works on behalf of those with children with autism. You can check it out over at my new blog Political Mum.

Political Mum Has Begun!

I couldn't help myself - I had to start a political blog.

The good news is that I will spare my loyal SportsMum readers from having to endure my myriad of opinions! Now you will simply get the scoop on whether Cameron won his football game, if Jackson makes it into the Spelling Bee or whether Caeden gets a new pet (he did - a guinea pig).

But if you want to see what I'm thinking today - you can find Political Mum at www.haveopinionwillblog.blogspot.com

5 Years Ago Today...

Today is a bittersweet anniversary.

Five years ago today we arrived here..Had we researched more, I'm sure we would have seriously reconsidered our decision.

This is what I have observed over the last five years...One of the highest unemployment and per capita murders rates in the country, the lowest home prices (translation: you can't make money by investing in real estate), one of the most divisive and volatile political landscapes (See: Jim Traficant, Youngstown Tune-Up), bitterness-anger-hopelessness (Black Monday 1977) and a complete lack of understanding about how to move forward and compete in the global (or even national) economy.

But this is what I also observed...while there is a sense of hopelessness and cynicism, bred by promises made by politicians and selfish business people out to make a fast buck; the people are still fiercely loyal. They will adamantly defend Youngstown when outsiders put her down. They stand by and support their schools, banding together with their fellow alumni to bring spirit and pride to the whole community. And they love their country and have one of the highest voter turn-out rates in the nation.

For better or worse we have made this our home, and while we will always be considered outsiders, we will defend, support, and cheer for the place we have chosen to raise our children.

Besides - today will be 80 degrees, there isn't a cloud in the sky and the maple tree I planted our first spring looks like this...What more could you ask for...

The Danger of Political Rhetoric

This election has prompted me to consider starting another blog. The intensity of this political season has stirred up emotions in everyone I know.

Watching the news last night and seeing the rage at the McCain/Palin rallies has disturbed me on so many levels. I'm really concerned for the candidates safety!

The anger and intensity of the emotions is being fueled by the negative rhetoric of the candidates themselves. Someone needs to put the brakes on Sarah Palin's attack dog strategy before it veers into violence.

I have to applaud John McCain for trying to dispel the anger. Good for him in defending Obama as a person. Good for him in seeing the dangerous situation his running mate's speeches are creating. I was really impressed and touched when I saw him gently reprimand the woman who called Obama an Arab - that was CLASS!

And then there's Sarah. She fires up a crowd by telling them she's afraid of Obama and then IGNORES the comment from the crowd "KILL HIM". What is wrong with this woman? Is she so ambitious that she would put someone's life on the line to win an election?

God forbid something happens, but if it does, I hope people will remember her role and judge her accordingly.

If they don't - I think I'll move back to Canada...

The "Palin's Choice" Aftermath

Wow - I certainly started a political controversy when I posted my blog about Sarah Palin.

I thought I was simply commenting as a Mother. From how the sides have lined up, it appears it's become a Republican Democrat battle.

Yes I have fawned over Barack Obama, but that is more about the man than about the party. If I was to vote in the upcoming Canadian election, I would throw my support behind Stephen Harper, the Conservative (nee Republican) Prime Minister.

But now my parents are mad at me; I have argued with one of my best friends and, quite frankly, been disturbed at how far right he really leans; I have had football Mom's (all lifelong Democrats) in awe that I would have the guts to speak out; and I have received an email from a Senior Producer at Fox News who would like to speak to me further about my "take" on the White House!

All this for simply saying I feel sorry for Sarah Palin's children...if only everyone else did too!

Sarah Palin's Choice

This blog is not a forum for politics but there is something that has been irking me ever since the revelation about Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter.

I applaud Palin's choice to support her daughter through this time - I would most certainly do the same thing.

What I don't applaud - in fact what I downright condemn - is her choice to accept the Vice-Presidental nomination at this critical time in her family's life.

How sad that she subject her very young, impressionable, and vulnerable children to this intense public glare and scrutiny. Any 17 year old girl who finds herself pregnant is already feeling ashamed and embarrassed, imagine having to share that shame with the world!

Sarah Palin has put her political aspirations before her family and subjected her daughter to the worst media barrage that will ever come out of this election.

For this, she should not be our vice-president - she should learn to be a mother first!

O-BA-MA

Every time he comes to town I get closer and closer to actually shaking his hand.

Today he looked right at me...or it might have been the Mayor, who was sitting right in front of me and who incidentally provided me with my reserved seating pass into the event (Thank You Mayor Williams!)

Ohhh...how wonderful he is...(I gush like a smitten schoolgirl...)...I want to be his friend...or at the very least an adviser on how to NOT become a politician like the rest of them!

Maybe I could be his adviser on all things Canadian...his inside track on high taxes, universal health care, and Molson beer...

President's Day With Our Next President

As most of you know I am Canadian, therefore not able to vote in this country. That small detail doesn't stop me from following politics, and actively working on behalf of good candidates. As a taxpayer, I still want my family to have the best life they can in our adopted country!
My children have asked me if I am a Democrat. No...
So they asked if I am Republican? No...
What am I then?...I am someone who believes in choosing the RIGHT person as our leader in a time in our history that we so desperately need change.

And today I took my children to see this person...meeting our next President on, what will be for them, a historic Presidents Day.

This was our day with Barack Obama...



It was amazing being a part of this day as Senator Obama visited our town. 5,600 people crammed into a gymnasium at Youngstown State University - many times these numbers will be exaggerated but I can attest there were very few empty seats.

I loved that I had my camera...I was particularly mesmerized by the media frenzy surrounding his appearance.


Even more so...the genuine outpouring of love, gratitude, excitement, energy - the hope that everyone felt in hearing him speak.




I was particularly impressed by his statement that he will refund a portion of a student's college tuition, providing they perform a number of hours of community service! What an awesome idea!!!

But the best part of the day was the woesome group who had assembled outside the auditorium to exercise their constitutional rights. You go baby...



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UPDATE ON CAMERON

Cameron had his MRI this morning. He has a "slight tear" in both his cartilage and his ligament (but not the ACL, it's the other one...). We will see the orthopedic surgeon (but this time a knee specialist, not a hand specialist!) on Wednesday...

We Won!

Several hundred posts ago (well maybe 20...) I mentioned that I was working on a political campaign. My candidate was running to become a Trustee for our township. This position would be equivalent to a council representative in a city, however, as we don't have a Mayor, three trustees "work together" to determine policy and budgets for our community.

Good news -- He WON! Bad news -- He WON!

I use the term "working together" very loosely as that seldom has happened in our town. For the past two years, we have had three women in power who have done more damage to the women's movement than Paris Hilton! Bickering, paranoia, and personal agendas have replaced decorum, restraint and professionalism in public office. Do you think I have an opinion about this??!!

So Larry won the election against two other gentlemen by just over 500 votes. Now he has to work with the two remaining women for two years to restore some confidence (our campaign slogan) in our community. I send him all my luck!

The real topic of this post is what happened the night of the election...

As any nervous candidate can attest, if you lose an election, the last place you want to be is in a public place. For this reason, we decided to hold Larry's election celebration in our home. It made even more sense when he would stress the non-partisan support he received throughout the campaign - his favorite campaign line "I have Republicans, Democrats, and Canadians!" Our house was neutral territory.

Shortly after the polls closed the house began to fill - mostly with his large Italian family (and the great food that goes along with that!) Within an hour there were probably 40 people.

Then he got the call he had won...Within minutes there were over 100 people in our home!

As one of our local television news trucks arrived (and parked illegally on the corner), I looked up our street to see a convoy of trucks...the firemen had arrived! (they endorsed Larry) They joined the fire chief, the township administrator, all the departments heads, the head of the local republican party, the newspaper editor, a variety of judges and attorneys, and eventually, one school board member!

When the smoke had cleared and five of us remained -- we realized that they drank all our beer but left most of the food!

The moral of this story?! If you want to hold public office, you're only useful if the beer fridge is stocked!